In telework, we are static and we get cold more easily. Especially since with the rising cost of energy, we may tend to heat less at home. How to dress, what to eat, what to drink? Valuable tips from our experts for keeping warm when working from home.
Teleworking has become widely democratized in France since the Covid pandemic. If this work organization allows employees to benefit from the comfort of their home Sweet Home, remain static many hours promotes cold feeling, even when in a heated interior. Especially since with the rising energy prices, we will probably tend to lower the heating! Here are several tips to follow to be less cold at home with Magali Bastos, physiotherapist, author of the book Remote working with complete peace of mind (Editions Marabout) and creator of the Instagram account MadamePhysio and Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist.
What is the ideal temperature at home when telecommuting?
For living spaces occupied during the day such as a living room or an office, the recommended temperature is 19 to 21°C, according to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME). It may not seem like much, but the more we heat our house, the more we accustom our body to an overheated interior and the more we will want to increase the heating. And above all, too high a temperature in your home promotes circulatory disorders (heavy legs, varicose veins…), dry skin and mucous membranes, migraines and affects the quality of sleep. Good to know : the feeling of cold can be linked to the humidity level in the accommodationpoorly insulated walls or air infiltration around doors or windows that create energy losses.
To be less cold, it is better overlap layers of clothing (the famous “onion technique”), for example:
- A T-shirt or a thin tank top.
- A thicker long-sleeved t-shirt or a shirt.
- A sweater or cardiganideally in natural materials (wool, mohair, cashmere, cotton, etc.) which are more insulating than synthetic materials.
- For the bottom, cotton jogging pants, woolen cloth pants or jeans. If it’s really very cold, you can put tights underneath.
Contrary to what one might thinkit is better to wear loose clothes that are too tight to be warm, in order to let the air circulate and the perspiration escape.
What to eat so as not to be cold while teleworking?
“When we wish increase thermogenesisthat is, to increase body temperature, it is necessary to supply the body with certain specific nutrients: low GI complex carbohydrates (as the rice or wholemeal pasta, legumes, wholemeal bread), them preferably vegetable fats (olive, walnut, linseed oil, etc.). Spices (cinnamon, clove, chilli, paprika…) or ginger in small doses can cause increased thermogenesis“, explains Raphaël Gruman. Other tips: “Do not skip meals and take a snack to have a regular intake of calories throughout the day”
What to drink so you don’t get cold while teleworking?
“It is important to stay well hydrated throughout the day to facilitate blood circulation.replies Raphaël Gruman straight away. We mostly drink water at room temperature. It is also possible to drink hot, but not too hot. In fact, it is necessary avoid sweating by drinking a drink that is too hot because the drops of sweat in contact with the cold outside will cause the body to cool down afterwards“. We bet on the drinks as tea, rooibos, herbal tea, Coffee and why not a hot chocolate at snack. In contrast, alcohol does not warm (contrary to popular belief): it lowers body temperature and increases the risk of hypothermia.
What exercises to warm up without heating while teleworking?
“The cold felt can lead to muscle tension with a closed and curled up position. To fight against this type of posture, we can offer small stretching and make energizing exercises to help with blood circulation, exercise the muscles and warm up the body“, says Magali Bastos who gives us some examples below:
- Relax the shoulders with self-massagesemphasizing the traps and collarbones, and stretching by raising your arms and stretching them from left to right.
- Massage the hands with a small soft ball to warm them up.
- Shake your fingers as if making “guilis” in the void, turn your hands in small circles, squeeze your fingers against the palms and loosen them.
- Massage the arch of the foot with the flats of the fingers and the phalanges, particularly at points of tension.
- Take a few steps on your tiptoes, then on your heels.
- Make Bulgarian squats: these are squats performed with the back leg resting on a support (a bench, a chair or a high support). The exercise is like performing flexion-extensions on one leg.
How to warm your hands and feet while working remotely?
A feeling of cold is characterized by chills and colder extremities than the rest of the body. Indeed, the extremities of the body such as the feet and the hands are the parts most prone to cold. Especially when you’re static, like working from home.
► To warm your hands: you rub your hands and fingers to stimulate blood circulation, you can blow hot air inside your hands, you can also wear woolen mittens in case of extreme cold.
► To warm your feet: we wear thick socks (silk or 100% wool ideally because they are thermoregulatory), not too tight (so as not to block blood circulation and avoid getting even colder), get up regularly from your chair and take a few steps to boost blood circulation, gently massaging his feet with the flats of his hands. At the end of the day, we can take a foot bath with a handful of coarse salt, a few drops of lavender essential oil or eucalyptus. If we are really too cold, we think of the hot water bottle under the feet or to thermal slippers.
What anti-cold advice when teleworking?
► Install a rug (or cushion) under the workspace, to retain heat and prevent cold feet.
► Cover your legs with a blanket.
► Get up regularly. “Do not hesitate to get up every hour and walk a little to get your heart rate up,” recommends Raphaël Gruman. You can take a hundred steps, raise your arms, look away and stretch if you feel the need.
► Ventilate your homeat least 10 minutes a day, even when it is cold for wick away moisture and renew the air. And a room with fresh air is easier to heat.
► The practice of regular physical activity also increases daily thermogenesis.
Thanks to Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist and Magali Bastos, physiotherapist and author of the book “My little routines: Remote work in complete serenity”, at Marabout Editions.